Thanks Patsy. I read the Observer article but it didn’t come across to me whether they were going to attempt to replicate the original lobby. Hopefully they will at least adhere to it in style. I didn’t realize the facade was saved. That was a good bit of foresight.

“The Carolina Theatre’s facade, dismantled by the city in the late 1980s and stacked under the stage, will be placed on the front of the new lobby, facing Tryon.” I would like to see the new lobby based on the original design though it doesn’t exactly say that in the article. I would think that it would be based on the original so it would be in keeping with the original design in the auditorium. I have entered that space a few times and each time I am struck by how beautiful it must have been in its heyday. Congrats to the City of Charlotte and the Belk Foundation for realizing the importance of saving this historic theatre in uptown Charlotte.

Since the lobby and entrance were both demolished, has the Foundation announced its plan with respect to those spaces? That is, are they going to build a lobby based on the original design, or are they going with an entirely new design?

ncmark: This is wonderful news for those of us who love uptown Charlotte and all that it has to offer including the Blumenthal PAC and the Knight Center. To see a projected opening date of 2016 is “music to my ears”. Charlotte is not the only city to have lost an historical theatre(s) as I recall reading about a few in Nashville that should still be standing today. The Carolina Theatre building stands waiting to be rediscovered and given a rebirth. Thank you Bank of America for your pledge to kickstart the renovation of this important piece of Charlotte’s past.

The Charlotte Observer reports today that Bank of America has pledged a $5 million gift to kickstart the renovation of the Carolina Theatre. It is a good start on the estimated $25 million renovation budget. The Foundation for the Carolinas is leading the project with a planned opening date of 2016

Hi. I’ve started work again on the website and I’m looking for help in creating it. I want a modern look (as opposed to my handwritten site from several years back) and I want to integrate Wordpress for the blog and comments. Also, I have hundreds of photos and dozens of videos to add, so I’m interested in seeing the best of the historic theatre sites you know about. So far, the Foundation for the Carolinas has not decided what they want to do and therefore there is no money available (if that matters). Cheers! Michael Johnston

The 55th Anniversary of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s epic
SOUTH PACIFIC was a reserved seat engagement presentation at Charlotte’s Carolina Theatre on June 25,1959. It was the only showing of the film in the Carolinas.

And I just viewed the Scotty Moore link! I had never seen an overhead view of that property and the theatre/stage in proxmity to the neighboring buildings! Would love to see the original facade replaced as it was all numbered when it was disassembled.

I walked by the Carolina Theatre corner just last night and saw a lovely small park setting in front of the former theatre. The most recent news in the Charlotte Observer this a.m. is very welcome news to all who hope to see this theatre restored and given back to the citizens of Charlotte!